Element collecting
Encyclopedia
Element collecting is the hobby of collecting the chemical elements. Many element collectors simply enjoy finding peculiar uses of chemical elements. Others enjoy studying the properties of the elements, possibly engaging in amateur chemistry
. Many amateur chemists also amassed large collection of elements—Oliver Sacks
, for example. In recent years the hobby has seen in increase in popularity with the media attention brought by element collectors like Theodore Gray
.
, for example, is easily synthesized via electrolysis
.
Some commercial retailers now cater to the element collecting community, even selling complete sets, since purchasing elements from large chemical companies like Sigma-Aldrich
is frequently prohibited or uneconomical for individuals. Element collecting presents many challenges: some elements, such as mercury
, are toxic. Others are extremely rare in commercial use, such as scandium
. Some, such as caesium
, are too reactive; others, such as gallium
, react corrosively and very fast with aluminium
(e.g., as structural material in aircraft
). Still others are radioactive and have half lives
too short for practical collection.
Amateur chemistry
Amateur chemistry or home chemistry is the pursuit of chemistry as a private hobby. It should not be confused with clandestine chemistry, which involves the illicit production of controlled drugs. Notable amateur chemists include Oliver Sacks and Sir Edward Elgar.-Origins:Amateur chemistry shares...
. Many amateur chemists also amassed large collection of elements—Oliver Sacks
Oliver Sacks
Oliver Wolf Sacks, CBE , is a British neurologist and psychologist residing in New York City. He is a professor of neurology and psychiatry at Columbia University, where he also holds the position of Columbia Artist...
, for example. In recent years the hobby has seen in increase in popularity with the media attention brought by element collectors like Theodore Gray
Theodore Gray
Theodore W. Gray is one of the founders of Wolfram Research and is currently Wolfram's Director of User Interface Technology.He is a prominent element collector and created a wooden periodic table with compartments for samples of each of the elements...
.
Acquiring elements
Different collectors have different philosophies in collecting elements. Some collectors attempt to collect very high purity samples of each element. Others prefer to find the element in every day use. Some are averse to collecting the element as a compound or alloy, while other find this acceptable. Some synthesize elements in their own homes. HydrogenHydrogen
Hydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
, for example, is easily synthesized via electrolysis
Electrolysis
In chemistry and manufacturing, electrolysis is a method of using a direct electric current to drive an otherwise non-spontaneous chemical reaction...
.
Some commercial retailers now cater to the element collecting community, even selling complete sets, since purchasing elements from large chemical companies like Sigma-Aldrich
Sigma-Aldrich
Sigma-Aldrich Corporation , is a life science and high technology company with over 7,600 employees and operations in 40 countries. Its chemical and biochemical products and kits are used in scientific research, biotechnology, pharmaceutical development, the diagnosis of disease, and as key...
is frequently prohibited or uneconomical for individuals. Element collecting presents many challenges: some elements, such as mercury
Mercury (element)
Mercury is a chemical element with the symbol Hg and atomic number 80. It is also known as quicksilver or hydrargyrum...
, are toxic. Others are extremely rare in commercial use, such as scandium
Scandium
Scandium is a chemical element with symbol Sc and atomic number 21. A silvery-white metallic transition metal, it has historically been sometimes classified as a rare earth element, together with yttrium and the lanthanoids...
. Some, such as caesium
Caesium
Caesium or cesium is the chemical element with the symbol Cs and atomic number 55. It is a soft, silvery-gold alkali metal with a melting point of 28 °C , which makes it one of only five elemental metals that are liquid at room temperature...
, are too reactive; others, such as gallium
Gallium
Gallium is a chemical element that has the symbol Ga and atomic number 31. Elemental gallium does not occur in nature, but as the gallium salt in trace amounts in bauxite and zinc ores. A soft silvery metallic poor metal, elemental gallium is a brittle solid at low temperatures. As it liquefies...
, react corrosively and very fast with aluminium
Aluminium
Aluminium or aluminum is a silvery white member of the boron group of chemical elements. It has the symbol Al, and its atomic number is 13. It is not soluble in water under normal circumstances....
(e.g., as structural material in aircraft
Aircraft
An aircraft is a vehicle that is able to fly by gaining support from the air, or, in general, the atmosphere of a planet. An aircraft counters the force of gravity by using either static lift or by using the dynamic lift of an airfoil, or in a few cases the downward thrust from jet engines.Although...
). Still others are radioactive and have half lives
Half-life
Half-life, abbreviated t½, is the period of time it takes for the amount of a substance undergoing decay to decrease by half. The name was originally used to describe a characteristic of unstable atoms , but it may apply to any quantity which follows a set-rate decay.The original term, dating to...
too short for practical collection.
Example samples
- HydrogenHydrogenHydrogen is the chemical element with atomic number 1. It is represented by the symbol H. With an average atomic weight of , hydrogen is the lightest and most abundant chemical element, constituting roughly 75% of the Universe's chemical elemental mass. Stars in the main sequence are mainly...
produced via electrolysis - RadiumRadiumRadium is a chemical element with atomic number 88, represented by the symbol Ra. Radium is an almost pure-white alkaline earth metal, but it readily oxidizes on exposure to air, becoming black in color. All isotopes of radium are highly radioactive, with the most stable isotope being radium-226,...
might be represented with a radium dial - UraniumUraniumUranium is a silvery-white metallic chemical element in the actinide series of the periodic table, with atomic number 92. It is assigned the chemical symbol U. A uranium atom has 92 protons and 92 electrons, of which 6 are valence electrons...
might be represented with uranium glassUranium glassUranium glass is glass which has had uranium, usually in oxide diuranate form, added to a glass mix before melting. The proportion usually varies from trace levels to about 2% by weight uranium, although some 19th-century pieces were made with up to 25% uranium.Uranium glass was once made into... - LeadLeadLead is a main-group element in the carbon group with the symbol Pb and atomic number 82. Lead is a soft, malleable poor metal. It is also counted as one of the heavy metals. Metallic lead has a bluish-white color after being freshly cut, but it soon tarnishes to a dull grayish color when exposed...
is commonly found in fishing sinkers - TinTinTin is a chemical element with the symbol Sn and atomic number 50. It is a main group metal in group 14 of the periodic table. Tin shows chemical similarity to both neighboring group 14 elements, germanium and lead and has two possible oxidation states, +2 and the slightly more stable +4...
is sold as solderSolderSolder is a fusible metal alloy used to join together metal workpieces and having a melting point below that of the workpiece.Soft solder is what is most often thought of when solder or soldering are mentioned and it typically has a melting range of . It is commonly used in electronics and...
See also
- Chemical elementChemical elementA chemical element is a pure chemical substance consisting of one type of atom distinguished by its atomic number, which is the number of protons in its nucleus. Familiar examples of elements include carbon, oxygen, aluminum, iron, copper, gold, mercury, and lead.As of November 2011, 118 elements...
- Periodic tablePeriodic tableThe periodic table of the chemical elements is a tabular display of the 118 known chemical elements organized by selected properties of their atomic structures. Elements are presented by increasing atomic number, the number of protons in an atom's atomic nucleus...
- Prices of elements and their compoundsPrices of elements and their compoundsThis table lists the elements by their name and gives some recent historical prices for them and their commonly traded compounds. The first of the two price columns shows the price in US dollars per kg of the compound specified. The second shows the USD price per kg of element in the compound...
- Amateur chemistryAmateur chemistryAmateur chemistry or home chemistry is the pursuit of chemistry as a private hobby. It should not be confused with clandestine chemistry, which involves the illicit production of controlled drugs. Notable amateur chemists include Oliver Sacks and Sir Edward Elgar.-Origins:Amateur chemistry shares...